Collapsible coop



H. P. GALBREATH.

COLLAPSIBLE COOP. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 30, 1918.

1,344,877. Patented June 29, 1920.

@Z/I if f mj II l Il L L d d. Il i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

coLLArsrBLE coor.

' speciacationiqf Lettersratent.

Patented June 29,1920.

Application filed November 30, 1918. Serial No. 264,866.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that `l, HAL l. GALBREATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poplar Bluff, Vin the county of Butler and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements .in Collapsible Coops, of which the following is a specification. j i

This invention comprehends generally improvements in that class ofA inventions known as metallic shipping and storing vessels and more particularly relates to a collapsible coop.

It is the principal 'aim and object of this invention to provide a device ofthe above mentioned character designed with 'sides and ends swingably connected tothe base and detachably engageable witheach other and provided with atop carried by the ends and detachably engageable` with` the sides whereby the coop maybe placed'in an extended-and locked position or else collapsed to a small compact form when not'in useso as to occupyonly a minimum amount of space when being shipped. n f v i It is an equally important object of this j invention to provide a device ofthe above mentioned character wherein the ends of the coop are Vconstructed in relatively movable sections oneof which is. formed with means for detachably engaging the` end portions of the sides ofthe coop foriinsuring of the maintenance of the coop in an extended position while coacting therewith, to further increase the rigidity of the device when extended are catch means, carried bythe topandv detachably engageable with the upper rportions of the sidesof the coop.

It is more specific object of this invention to providea device of the above mentioned character wherein a closure ofimproved construction is slidably mounted on Y the top of the coop for closing the opening in the top while acting in conjunction with the closure is retaining means therefor.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may. be recited 4the' provision of a device l,of the above mentioned character wherein the numberof' parts are comparatively few, the construction simple, the cost of production 4low and the efficiencyV high. Other" objects, as well as the nature,'char acteristic features and scope of this invention will be more "readily apparent from thev following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims, forming a part of. this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the improved crate,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof,

Fig.` 3 is an end elevational view of the crate,

F ig. L is an enlarged fragmentary elevational detail of the clutch means on the top, .i

F ig; 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional detail showin()r the retaining hooks at the ends'of one oi? the end sections,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central section hrougi the top and taken online 6--6 of fig. 7 `is a transverse sectional detail taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 2, and I Fig. 8 is a longitudinal central sectional view through the coop showing the same in a folded compact form.

' Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly to the accompanying drawings there is provided a base 1 desirably composed of a plurality of boards 2 having tongue-and-groove edges 3 and the under surface of this base is provided with a plurality of transversely and longitudinally extending spaced and inter'- secting grooves in which are respectively arranged bracingwires or rods 4, the end portions of which are bent upwardly and engaged in the endand side edges as shown at 5 terminating in eyes 6, disposed slightly above the upper surface of the base while mounted inL the eyes is a rectangular frame?.

Swingably connected to the opposite side portions of the frame 7 are the sides generally designated by the numeral 8. These sides in the present instance are of an open work nature being composed of an inverted substantially U-shaped support 9 formed of relatively stiff wire and longitudinally and transversely extending and intersecting bars l0, also formed of Wire. The inner Varrangedperpendicularly ofthe base or swung inwardly toward each other to lie on the base when it is desired to collapse the coop.

As intimated, sectional ends have been provided and in the present instance consist of inner sections generally designated 12 and relatively swingable outer or upper sections 13. Each inner section 12 is composed of a plurality of vertically disposed bars 14E of wire the respective ends of which terminate in loops 15 while all of these vertical bars are joined by a transverse bar 16, also of wire. The innermost eyes 15 are swingably engaged about the end portions of the frame 7 as indicated in the Fig. 3 so that the sections may be arranged vertically or swung inwardly toward each other to lie over the sides 8, -when the latter are folded, as is apparent. Each outer section 13 is composed of substantially U-shaped supports '17 of relatively heavy or thick wire and like the section 12 is of an open work nature being composed of vertically and transversely disposed and intersecting bars 18 and 19 respectively the ends of which are formed with eyes 2O and 21 respectively. The

l inner eyes 2O are swingably engaged about the medial portion of the support 18 while the eyes 21 are rigidly engaged with the side portions of the said support. In connection with the support 17 it is to be noted that at the points of distortion between the intermediate and side portions the wire forming the said support is folded upon itself and bent to provide opposed inturned hooks 22 designed to be engaged at times when the device is extended with the side portions of the support of the side 8 as indicated to facilitate the maintenance of the coop in a set-up position.

A toy generally designated by the numera 23 is now employed and consists of a rectangular and relatively heavy frame 24; between the sides and end portions of which are arranged and connected the eye terminals of the transversely and longitudinally extending and intersecting bars 25 and 2G respectively, the terminal eye portions of which are engaged with the adjacent portions of the frame 24. The upper eyes on the vertical bars 18 are swingably engaged with the end portions of the frame 24: so that the frame will move toward the base upon the folding of the sections 12 and 13 in the manner indicated in Fig. 8 so that the device will occupy a compact form and a minimum amount of space when not in use.

As intimated, the open top has been provided with an opening 27 so that access may be had within the interior of the coop when it is in an extended position. This opening is preferably provided by cutting away the medial longitudinal and adjacent bars 26 joining the adjacent terminals with the adyjacent transverse bars 25 as indicated at 28.

numeral 29 is now provided for the opening 27 in the. cover and is composed of spaced transverse bars 30 formed of suitable wire and joined by spaced longitudinally extending bars 31. Eyes are formed at the terminals of the transverse bars as shown at 32, the forward eyes being vslidably arranged on the adjacent longitudinal bars 26 of the cover while the other eyes are slidably engaged on longitudinally extending guide rods 33 suspended beneath the bars 26 on which the forward eyes 32 are engaged, the arrangement being clearly indicated in the drawings. A spring retaining catch 34 is mounted on the top and is designed to releasably hold the closure in a closed position.

Coperating with the hooks 22 for retaining the coop in extended position, are snap hooks 35, the shanks of which are connected to certain of the transverse bars 25 so that the curved bills are disposed in a position so as to engage the medial portion of the support 9 of the sides 8'beingprevented from displacement by the leaf retaining springs 36 forming part of the snap hooks 35, as is apparent.

In use in placing the coop into an extended form it is only necessary to raise the top away from the base, this action straightening sectional sides whereupon the sides 8 are swung upwardly and engaged with the hooks 22 and the snap hooks 35. In collapsing the crate, the sides 8 are disengaged and swung inwardly toward each other to lie on the base 1 whereupon the innermost sections 12 of the ends are swung inwardly to lie over the sides 8 and during this action the outermost sections 13 are swung outwardly so as to overlie the sections 12, this action drawing the cover or top toward the base so that the parts will assume the position as indicated in Fig. 8.

It is believed in view of the foregoing description that a further detailed description of the operation of the invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent.

Still further embodiments of the invention than those herein especially defined may be resorted to as conditions or preference may dictate, as may be in keeping with the hereto appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A folding coop comprising a base, rods positioned beneath the base and having their end portions carried uprightly and terminating in eyes above the base, a frame extending above and about the base, the frame being formed from a strip of rod material bent to coliform to the contour of the base and passing through the eyes, side and end walls having their lower edge portion loosely connected with the frame to pivotally mount the walls, a top having loose connection with one set of walls, and means for releasably connecting the Walls when the coop is in a setup position.

2. A folding coop comprising a base, transverse and longitudinal rods positioned beneath the base and having their end portions Carried upwardly and terminating 'in eyes, a frame formed of a strip of rod material bent to pass through the eyes, side and end walls having their lower edge portion lloosely connected with the frame to pivotally mount the walls, said walls being formed of rod material, the ends of the rod material of one set of walls bent to form hooks for engaging adjacent portions of the rod material of the other sections of wall to provide a releasable connection between the walls, permitting one set of walls to be moved to a set up position and retained in the set up position through the medium of the second set of walls, and a top having loose connection with one set of walls.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature hereto.

HAL P. GALBREATH. 

